Cooling system for a metallurgical furnace

Abstract

A cooling system for a metallurgical furnace includes a plurality of cooling arrangements having each a set of cooling elements arranged to extract heat from the furnace, the cooling elements having each at least one internal cooling channel for a coolant fluid, where the cooling elements are fluidly connected within each cooling arrangement; at least one discharge piping associated with each cooling arrangement for discharging the coolant fluid towards a main collector, where a flow regulating arrangement is serially mounted with the discharge piping and configured to control a flow rate of the coolant fluid therethrough and hence through the cooling arrangement, where the flow regulating arrangement includes a calibrated orifice defining a default, minimal flow cross section for the coolant fluid and a regulating valve selectively operable to define a variable, additional flow cross-section.

1 . Cooling system for a metallurgical furnace comprising:
 a plurality of cooling arrangements comprising each a set of cooling elements arranged to extract heat from the furnace, the cooling elements having each at least one internal cooling channel for a coolant fluid, wherein the cooling elements are fluidly connected within each cooling arrangement;   at least one discharge piping associated with each cooling arrangement for discharging the coolant fluid from the cooling arrangement towards a main collector;   wherein a flow regulating arrangement is serially integrated within the discharge piping and configured to control a flow rate of the coolant fluid therethrough and hence through the cooling arrangement;   wherein the flow regulating arrangement includes a calibrated orifice defining a default, minimal flow cross section for the coolant fluid and a regulating valve selectively operable to define a variable, additional flow cross-section.   
     
     
         2 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the regulating valve is an automatic valve controlled by a control unit depending on sensor signal(s) received from one or more sensor device(s) arranged at predetermined locations in the cooling arrangements. 
     
     
         3 . Cooling system according to  claim 2 , wherein one or more sensor device(s) include temperature sensors arranged at predetermined locations within each cooling arrangement; and the control unit is configured to actuate the regulating valve based on the temperature determined from the sensor signal(s). 
     
     
         4 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the regulating valve includes a movable valve member, and wherein the calibrated orifice is arranged in the valve member. 
     
     
         5 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow regulating arrangement comprises:
 a first conduit ( 18 ) connected to receive the entire coolant flow from the cooling arrangement, said calibrated orifice being arranged in said first conduit; and   a second conduit parallel to said first conduit, which comprises the regulating valve.   
     
     
         6 . Cooling system according to  claim 5 , wherein the second conduit is connected upstream and downstream of the calibrated orifice, forming a bypass. 
     
     
         7 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the regulating valve comprises a butterfly valve or gate valve. 
     
     
         8 . Cooling system according to  claim 2 , wherein the sensor device comprises one or more of a temperature sensor, a flow sensor and a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         9 . Cooling system according to  claim 2 , wherein the discharge piping further comprises one or more of a second temperature sensor, a flow meter, a pressure sensor and a manual valve ( 32 ). 
     
     
         10 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling elements are in fluid communication with one another, wherein the cooling elements are arranged vertically and/or horizontally to one another. 
     
     
         11 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein each cooling arrangement of the plurality of cooling arrangements is arranged to cover a predetermined angular sector of a furnace. 
     
     
         12 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharge piping comprises a first section, wherein the first section comprises an exit line for conducting the fluid towards an intermediate collector, and wherein the exit line comprises at least one of a flow meter, a temperature sensor, a shuttle valve and a venting device. 
     
     
         13 . Cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein each cooling arrangement is composed of a plurality of vertical columns of cooling elements comprising a plurality of cooling channels; and within each column, the cooling elements are fluidly connected in series. 
     
     
         14 . Cooling system according to  claim 13 , wherein part of the internal coolant channels of the downstream-most cooling elements of the cooling arrangement are connected to a first intermediate collector of a first discharge piping with integrated flow regulating arrangement; and the other part of the internal coolant channels of the downstream-most cooling elements of the cooling arrangement are connected to a second intermediate collector of a second discharge piping with integrated flow regulating arrangement. 
     
     
         15 . A shaft furnace, in particular a blast furnace comprising an outer metal jacket and a cooling system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling elements are arranged in rows and columns to protect the outer metal jacket, wherein the cooling arrangements are configured to each cover a respective angular sector. 
     
     
         16 . The shaft furnace according to  claim 15 , wherein the cooling system comprises four cooling arrangements, each covering one quadrant of the furnace circumference.